A review by tjgreads
The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar

4.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ four stars for this vivid story within a story, A MAP OF SALT AND STARS. In the author’s note, Zeyn Joukhadar says, “I hope that this book serves as a starting point for education and empathy and that readers will seek out additional resources, particularly those written by Syrians in their own words.” Done. I don’t pretend to understand the Syrian refugee crisis or know what to do to help them, but I am actively working on listening and reading and learning about experiences different from my own.
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There are two narratives here, one of contemporary Syrian refugees trying to travel to Ceuta to meet family, and one a historical epic, both featuring brave young women on dangerous journeys. I loved the descriptive language - tastes, colors, textures, feelings and smells all come through. Really good. Intense, horrific, but also beautiful.
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Format: Owned, e-book via Kindle
Read for:
✅ 2020 Reading Women Challenge Prompt 16 - Featuring a woman with a disability (synesthesia)
✅ 2020 PopSugar Reading Challenge Prompt 2 - A book by a trans or nonbinary author
✅ 2019 PopSugar Reading Challenge Prompt 27 - A book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature (the roc)(